4 High-Yield Dividend Stocks Worth Having in Your Roth IRA
Holding high-yield REITs in a taxable account hands the IRS a cut of every dividend for as long as you own the shares, but the Roth version of that same portfolio changes the math in a way most investors never…
At the 24% federal bracket, a $500,000 REIT portfolio making about $35,600 a year sends roughly $8,544 to the IRS every year. Most REIT distributions generally don’t qualify for the lower qualified-dividend rates. In a taxable account they are taxed as ordinary income, while qualified Roth distributions come out tax-free.
Roth Rules That Decide Whether Income Stays Tax-Free
IRS Publication 590-A sets the 2026 IRA contribution limit at $7,500, and $8,600 for savers age 50 or older. Direct Roth contributions also carry income eligibility limits. A distribution is qualified when it comes after the five-year period that starts with your first Roth contribution year, and is made on or after age 59½ (or because of disability, death or a qualifying first-home purchase).
Distribution mix changes by REIT, and part of a payout can be return of capital or capital gain. Qualified REIT dividends can also earn a 20% deduction under 26 U.S.C. § 199A(b)(1)(B). These calculations apply the full marginal rate, so treat the result as the upper limit of the tax cost.
$8,544 a Year Separates Roth and Taxable on $500,000
The portfolio puts $125,000 in each of four REITs, for a blended yield of 7.12%.
| Account | Gross Income | Tax at 24% | Net Income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taxable | $35,600 | $8,544 | $27,056 |
| Roth IRA | $35,600 | $0 | $35,600 |
It comes to $8,544 a year and $85,440 over 10 years, before any growth.
Realty Income Backs Its Payout With 98.8% Occupancy
Realty Income (NYSE:O) pays $3.258 a year, a 5.77% yield at around $55.76 per share on Wednesday, Oct. 21. Its AFFO payout ratio is 74.5%, and occupancy of 98.8% supports that coverage. The risk is leverage of 5.4x net debt to EBITDAre. It’s $125,000 position making $7,213 a year.
Gaming and Leisure Properties Delivers the Largest Income Stream
Gaming and Leisure Properties (NASDAQ:GLPI) pays $3.28, which yields 8.31% at around $38.71 per share. The payout uses about 80% of 2026 AFFO guidance, and the company reports zero rent defaults since inception. The risk is tenant concentration: PENN Entertainment (NASDAQ:PENN) runs 34 facilities. At $10,388 a year, this is the portfolio’s largest income stream and the one that gains most from Roth placement.
Universal Health Realty Runs the Tightest Payout of the 4
Universal Health Realty Income Trust (NYSE:UHT) pays $3, a 7.75% yield at around $37.49 per share. Its FFO payout ratio of 83% is the highest of the four, though Q2 FFO rose to 90 cents per share. The risk is concentration, since Universal Health Services is its largest tenant and a related party. The position making $9,690 a year.
EPR Properties Covers Its Dividend With a 65% Payout Ratio
EPR Properties (NYSE:EPR) pays $3.72, a 6.65% yield at around $54.92 per share. The company’s chief financial officer said on the earnings call that “our common dividend continues to be very well covered with an AFFO payout ratio of 65% for the second quarter.” Tenant rent coverage is 2.0x. The risk is reliance on two tenants, Topgolf and AMC, which each account for 13.1% of revenue. The position making $8,315 a year.
How Much Higher Brackets Cost You
| Bracket | Taxable Net | Roth Net | Roth Benefit by Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22% | $27,768 | $35,600 | $7,832 |
| 24% | $27,056 | $35,600 | $8,544 |
| 32% | $24,208 | $35,600 | $11,392 |
| 37% | $22,428 | $35,600 | $13,172 |
Compounding Turns $8,544 Into a 6-Figure Gap
Say the annual $8,544 savings is reinvested at a conservative 4%, with no price gains assumed. After 10 years the tax-free growth hits about $102,600. After 20 years, it hits about $254,400, compared with $170,880 if the savings were never reinvested. That gap is what holding these four REITs outside a Roth costs over time.
Who Gains Most, and Steps to Take Now
This setup works best for investors in the 24% bracket or higher who have Roth room and can wait until both qualified-distribution conditions are met. Investors in lower brackets, or those who need the income before age 59½, gain less. The whole point of matching REIT yields with a Roth is a check that keeps coming without selling the shares, and we laid out how to build that kind of ladder in a free guide here.
- For each REIT you hold in a taxable account, multiply its income by your bracket to estimate what you’ll owe.
- Before deciding a Roth conversion is too expensive, run the numbers on your highest-yielding REITs, starting with GLPI-level yields.
- Check how much of each payout is ordinary income on your 1099-DIV, and note which positions carry the biggest tax burden.
Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.
Joel South covers large-cap stocks, dividend investing, and major market trends, with a focus on earnings analysis, valuation, and turning complex data into actionable insights for investors.
He brings more than 15 years of experience as an investor and financial journalist, including 12 years at The Motley Fool, where he served as an investment analyst, Bureau Chief, and later led the Fool.com investing news desk. He has also co-hosted an investing podcast and appeared across TV and radio discussing market trends.
